Calling pastel de nata a custard tart would be a stretch, because it is not the same as the English tart. Portugal's most famous dessert is known for its flaky pastry shell and rich custard filling. The difference lies in the crust used – custard tart uses a shortcrust pastry, which tends to be dense, while the Portuguese custard tarts are made with layered puff pastry that is baked into flaky layers, which are much lighter. These tarts originated in Lisbon, in the early 1800s, via Catholic monks at the Jerónimos Monastery in the Belém district. Today they are enjoyed around the world, and the Chinese egg tart or dantat, invented in the early 1900s, is said to have been inspired by the Portuguese custard tart. A traditional pastel de nata recipe consists of crisp puff pastry filled with an egg-based custard that is baked at a high temperature until the top develops its characteristic golden-brown spots. Portuguese custard tarts are distinguished by their caramelised surface and light, flaky layers of pastry. The filling is made using a simple custard recipe of milk, sugar, egg yolks and flour. Many versions also include lemon peel and cinnamon, which add subtle flavour without overpowering the custard. The mixture is cooked until smooth before being poured into pastry cases.